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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Eschew, v. Also: eschewe, eshew, eschow; eschev(e, escheu, eshue, eishu; aschew, -eu. [ME. eschewe, escheve, eschue, etc. (14th c.), OF. eschever, eschiver.]

1. tr. To avoid, keep clear of, escape (a danger, trouble, reproof, etc.).(a) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 205.
Hyr a sowne … That scho til eschewe destyne, In a cophyne kest in the se c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1980.
Amangis the quhilkis Menelay … Eschewed the parrell & passed one c1420 Wynt. vi. 1791.
He lete nowcht slay thame in Ingland, For till eschewe reproffe, and blame 1456 Hay I. 123/37.
Quhen thou hast governyt thé in maner that thou has eschewit thir perilis 1483 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 47.
That thairthrow the said iniuris … may be eschewit in tyme to cum c1500-c1512 Dunb. xviii. 6.
For thocht I be ane crownit king, Ȝit sall I not eschew deming 1531 Bell. Boece I. 23.
To pas to the strenthis of the said montanis, to eschew the fury of ennimes a1578 Pitsc. I. 22/12.
The tyme he socht support to eschew the gouernoures present wraith 1596 Dalr. I. 71/3.
To declyne the ire of his father and freindes, and to eschewe thair seueritie(b) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 53.
As thai vald the kingis dedenȝe Eschev, na manne suld fenȝe 1549 Compl. 90/33.
Sen ȝe knau the apering dangeir of ȝour natif cuntre, ȝe suld prudently consult to escheu al dangeir 1611 Mure Misc. P. i. 82.
Perplex'd … To hazard or escheu the storme(c) a1500 Seven S. 382.
Ȝestrene He couth haf spokin, sa can he now, War nocht perellis he wald eschow(d) c1590 Fowler I. 69/66.
A scrimeur … so able … For to awaird or to eshew the blow c1610 Melville Mem. 109.
The Quen … desyred by all meanis possible till eshew commer or any occasion of expensis a1651 Calderwood IV. 474.
Nather … is he so bound but that he may eshew the strokes 1640 Baillie I. 250.
Some … thought good to eishu that discreditable stroke 1667 Highland P. II. 9.
To eshew his enemies he was forced to hide himself in coaves and woods 1674 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV. 275.
To eshue debait, they consented to mak payment of 100 merks

2. To abstain or refrain from, avoid, shun (an action, practice, etc.). 1375 Barb. xii. 473.
Ther sall no man say That I suld eschewe the battale Ib. xviii. 532.
Ȝour strinth … Vald nocht thoill ȝow escheve [E. eschew] the ficht a1400 Leg. S. vi. 416.
Gyf we be wyse, Ve suld eschew auarice 1456 Hay II. 87/5.
Thus suld princis pres thame … till eschew all thir vicis foresaid a1500 Bk. Chess 16.
Till eschew the wyce of ydilnes They go to sport 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 140.
Eschew, tharfor, this passage dangerus Ib. iv. Prol. 140.
Nixt luf thi self, eschewand wykkytnes 1562-3 Winȝet II. 53/25.
Incertane … quhat they suld couet, or quhat suld eschew 1585 James VI Ess. 53.
Some revlis and cautelis to be obseruit and eschewit in Scottis poesie a1585, a1568 Montg. Ps. i. 4.
Weill is the man … that can Esheu ill counsell 1649 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 143.
Eschow all prophanes and deboischrie

3. intr. a. To get off or away; to escape. 1375 Barb. xi. 391.
I trow thai sall Nocht weill eschew [E. eschaip] foroutyn fall c1475 Wall. ix. 811.
Throw Goddis grace we sall bettir eschew 1538 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 127.
Thai sall nocht eschew, nor departe furtht of, our castell of Edinbwrcht 1567 Sat. P. v. 68.
Thocht he fra hoill to hoill do fle, At last he can not weill eschew 1576 Wemyss Corr. 21.
That ye … surelie keip [him] in firmance, vnletting him eschaip, eschew or pas hame c1615 Chron. Kings 179.
Thinking thairefter to aschew to the fronteris of France 1614 Highland P. III. 142.
They in the night eshued at a bak yett in alittle boat 1618 Chron. Perth 19.
This [murder] done … all the committaris therof eschewit out of the toun

b. To draw back, withdraw (from a person or thing); to draw aside. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 7.
Tharfor the Grekes thai luf & ken, And ay eschewis fra Latyn men Ib. ii. 2834.
Bot sche eschewed, as he thocht, Sum-quhat abak, & syne drewe neir c1420 Wynt. viii. 5206 (C).
Lat ilk man Ryn al bare wissage, and ȝhe Qwha eschewis fyrst rycht sone sal se c1475 Wall. x. 446.
‘Abyd’, he said, ‘thow nedis nocht now to fle’. Wallace ansuerd; ‘I eschew nocht for the’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 80 (A).
Sumthing fra him the fende eschewit Ib. xxxiii. 9.
Fra baptasing for to eschew Thair a religious man he slew 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1423.
Eschew fra wraith and greit furour Ib. 2055.
Tak heir experience … Fra haistie wordis of ȝour wyfis to eschow 1562-3 Winȝet II. 61/15.
Eschew, … as fra a scorpioun, as fra a cokintrace, leste thai slay thee 1600-1610 Melvill 70.
Declyning my bodie a litle, I eschewed, and … gripped his sword arm

c. To take care that (etc.). 14.. Acts I. 11/2.
That na man doo to thaim wrang, eschewand thaimself that thai conteyn thaim leilly 1531 Bell. Boece I. 80.
Eschew warly that ye … bring nocht youre self, … and barnis, to irrecoverable dammage